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LOS ANGELES, CA – April 25, 2011 — Founding Slayer guitarist Jeff Hanneman stepped onstage with his band at this past Saturday’s Big 4 concert in Indio, CA, marking the first time he has played with Slayer since last October. In January, Hanneman contracted necrotizing fasciitis, likely caused by a spider bite, and has been undergoing surgeries, skin grafts and intense rehab since. Hanneman surprised the crowd of 50,000 when he walked out onto the stage, unannounced, and played the two-song encore, “South of Heaven” and “Angel of Death.”

Backstage in Slayer’s dressing room afterwards, Hanneman relaxed on a couch and said, “I’m the happiest man in the world.”

Gary Holt, guitarist for Exodus, has been the primary guest guitarist with Slayer since the band started its 2011 touring schedule in February, and will continue in that capacity until Hanneman has completely recovered.

Remembering the Man on the Silver Mountain, Ronnie James Dio
(Ronald James Padavona (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)

In the many years that I’ve run Metal-Rules.com, I consider myself lucky to have interviewed Ronnie James Dio just once. It was a phone interview and as these things go, usually a label/PR type will call and put you on hold until the artist is ready. Therefore, when I answered my home phone expecting as much, I get a “Hello Geoff, this is Ronnie James Dio”. Being taken so aback, my reaction was not as professional as usual as I admit to doing a little fawning over him. For me, this seemingly simple, yet personal touch left an impression on me. He was very polite and professional and while this was “business as usual” for him, it was anything but for me.

Since the early 80’s when I first got into heavy metal, Ronnie James Dio was there and a part of my musical landscape. The first time I heard him was the song “Holy Diver” with the video airing on Canada’s Much Music’s Power Hour. It is to that album (Holy Diver) that my mind always goes to when I think of Dio. The song has been in my mind and played both on my stereo and on my guitar for many years. After discovering Dio, I also got heavily into his Rainbow material and of course his albums with Black Sabbath. When he rejoined Sabbath in the band “Heaven and Hell”, I was hoping for a few more albums and tours. But sadly, as we all know, this reunion with the Sabs was cut short in May 2010.

Shortly after Ronnie’s passing, Robert “Stormhammer” Williams of Metal Rules proposed that in one year we should pay tribute to Ronnie by presenting comments and quotes from artists that worked with him, those that knew him, and those that were influenced by his powerful, huge, and unforgettable voice. Of course I gave my blessing as no metal icon is as deserving of such a tribute.

So here are the interviews clips (video/text) from everyone that we could get in contact with over the past year. Long live heavy metal and long live Ronnie James Dio! \,,/